Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-03-25
ROsEBURG REVIEW
FRIDAY. MARCH, 25. 1887.
TINT FET0.

At first blush we thought that Mr.
Cleveland was radically wrong in fail
ing to sign the river and harbcr bill,
but upon maturer reflection we find
that Congress was wholly to blame and
not the President. Moreover much
has been said against President Cleye-
land by the press of the Pacific coast
for Withholding his signature to the
river and harbor appropriation bill
Some have attributed his action to
what was once democratic doctrine,
opposition to appl opriations for inter
nal improvements, q doctrine in its
day that was correct, but this was not
the cause of the objection of President
Cleveland Since the commerce of
nation has extended from the Atlantic
TO the Pacific coast and passes through
every port or halbor on both sides of
the continent within the United States
the nation in order to foster that COM
meree has lent its aid to the improve
ment of harbors and rivers. This has
passed from political question to
that of commercial necessity and the
condition of our water ways demanG
natural aid. President Cleveland
signed the first river and harbor APP
preparation bill and woull have signed
the bill ''pocketed" had it been possible
for him to have done it. No one will
for moment say that the President
should sign bill without reading it.
1t is the fact that this river and har-
Dor bill passed the House at very
late hour, too late to be considered and
SO near the close of the session that il
was with great difficulty that is was
enrolled before adjournment. Tht
President was called upon in the las
moments of the session to sign th'
bill with 10 time to consider it
These are the facts of the case an
when his predecessor President Arthu
was placed in the same position h
vetoed the river and hardor bill. Goa
gress should learn by experience tha
the President should have time to reat
and examine the bill he is called upol
to sign. When the facts are know
President Cleveland will not be blame,
for not signing that bill. If ther
were features of the bill that were oil
jectionable he has right to know
and to have time to read it Til
right was denied him. 1t only shows tn
error of hasty consideration especial
at the last moment. It reminds us c
case that came before the last legi
l,ture. One morning early a join
resolution was introduced in the Sci
ate instructing our senators to vot
for the interstate commerce bill {
once that was then pending in tt
Z. s. Senate. This joint resolutio
passed both Houses and in an hct
was telegraphed to Washington. The1
was rot rnsrniuvr Of the Uregon fegii
lature at that time who could explai
the interstate commerce bill, nor
there one who can do it now. It
now and has been since that bi
pissed, the business of railroad me
to devise some means under that bi
to prevent freights to Oregon and u
P,cific coast generally from goil
around by the Isthmus or by the ws
% the Canadian Pacific railroad III
bill practically cuts off the traffic
roads coming to Oregon and Californi
Did the legislature intend to do this
did they want the bill to become
law and our people to be enslaved
these railroads under the inter sta
commerce bill and its long haul crus
ing rate taxi We shouldlook at the Fl
before we jump into it. If the inte
state commerce bill is carried out in {
its provisions our transcontinental Ia
roads cannot compete for traffic fro
the Atlantic to the Pacific coast n
uice cerSa. 1t cuts off the lumb
trade with the east and cripples o.
own interests generally.